Minnesota Workmen?s Compensation.

When an employee suffers a work injury that may be compensable under the Minnesota Workmen?s Compensation Act, that employee is entitled to an initial rehabilitation consultation with a QRC. A QRC is a qualified rehabilitation consultant who is professionally trained, experienced, and registered to provide a rehabilitation consultation.

An initial rehabilitation consultation is designed as an interview for the QRC to determine if the employee is eligible for rehabilitation services. Generally, if an employee?s physician has taken the employee off of work, or has imposed work restrictions, then that employee will be eligible.

The employee has a right to choose a Minnesota QRC at the onset of rehabilitation services. If the employer first selects a QRC and the employee wants a different QRC, then the employee can select a QRC of his or her own choice within 60 days of filing a copy of the rehabilitation plan with the Commissioner. After that time, the employee and employer/insurer may agree to a change of QRC, or the employee can file a rehabilitation request with the Department of Labor to change the QRC.

In the 1996 Workers? Compensation Court of Appeals case of Kerber v. Farmington Ford, the employer and insurer requested a change of QRC after the employee had originally selected the QRC. The request was granted because the existing QRC failed to file timely reports, rehabilitation plans or periodic status reports.

An employee is restricted to one of two opportunities to select his or her own QRC?either initially or after the employer and insurer has selected the QRC, but not both. If the employee has exhausted his or her choices of a QRC, then the Department of Labor determines the appointment of a QRC that is in the best interests of the both the employee and the employer/insurer.

A QRC provides many different types of services to an employee with the main two being medical case management and job (vocational) assistance.

Medical Case Management

QRCs often attend employees? doctor appointments with then and clarify any work restrictions needed for the employee. The QRC also prepares a report to the employer and insurer to inform them of the employee?s medical status.

Job Assistance

If the employee has work restrictions, then the QRC will work with the employer to see if that employer has a suitable job within the employee?s work restrictions. If not, the QRC may provide job search assistance to the employee, to find work that is within the employee?s restrictions.

David Whitney is the author of this article on Minnesota workers comp. Find more information about Minnesota workers compensation here.